Our bodies are so important and are one of the reasons that we are here on the earth. They house our spirits and are compared to temples, and we will be resurrected with them. I know Heavenly Father wants us to take care of them. Figuring out exactly what is best for them isn't easy. I've been reading a lot of health and nutrition books lately:
The Calorie Myth: How to Eat More, Exercise Less, Lose Weight, and Live Better by Jonathan Bailor
Nutrition: An Applied Approach by Janice Thompson and Melinda Manore
Dr. A's Habit's of Health: The Path to Permanent Weight Control and Optimal Health by Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen
and
It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.
There's a lot of good info in all of them--and a lot of conflicting info, too. For example:
Calories don't count VS. Calories in; calories out.
Whole grains, legumes, and low fat dairy are good for you VS. No, they aren't.
Butter is not good for you VS. Yes, it is.
Stevia is good VS. Stevia is bad.
Seeds and seed oils are good for you VS. No, they aren't.
Use the Glycemic Index to help make your food choices VS. "The glycemic index is largely irrelevant to making Good Food choices."
Eat every 2.5 to 3 hours to keep the levels of the hormone insulin from spiking: 7 am (breakfast), 10 am (small nourishment), 1 pm (small nourishment), 4 pm (small nourishment), 7 pm (dinner), and 9:30-10 pm (small nourishment) VS. Have a 4 to 5 hour break in between eating--have 3 meals and no snacks to encourage optimal hormonal response. Don't eat before bed as it messes us your hormone levels and could mess up your sleep patterns.
etc, etc, etc...
It's so frustrating. Data is given with "evidence" to back it up...for both sides of the conflict.
They do agree on avoiding sugar and processed foods. And eating lots of protein (though the one doesn't allow grains and legumes for protein). I'm not a big protein eater. I can't imagine eating the amount they want me to.
So, I'm still trying to figure it all out. I am avoiding processed foods which includes white sugar, flour, and rice. I'm eating more veggies. But I'm still trying to decide on the rest of it.
I'm sure that both systems will improve your health. But one system has to be more true than the other, doesn't it?
Because of the Word of Wisdom (the "eat meat sparingly and wheat is for man" parts), I have doubts about both. So I guess I will just try and make a combination plan.
The part of Whole 30 I like is that they tell you to experiment with what they are teaching. Go 30 days without the legumes, grains, and dairy products, then slowly reintroduce them to see if you do have a problem with one of them. If you do, you keep it out of your diet. If you don't, then you can eat them if you want. (and of course, always go without the processed foods)
It makes me think of the scripture that talks about religions in Joseph Smith's day but it seems to fit here:
"...Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties [change that to diets], which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying 'Lo here!' and others, 'Lo there!'" (Joseph Smith-History 1:5)
So, I'm sure I'll make this a matter of prayer, just like Joseph Smith did.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)
And that would be good because right now I feel as if I'm being "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine." (Ephesians 4:14) and I'm frustrated with it all.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
the summer of Fs
I realized that most of my goals can be described using words that begin with the letter "F" (or its sound):
Fabric--I want to make a quilt top this summer (maybe this one: http://www.judymartin.com/free-bom-2.cfm)
Faith--perhaps the scripture reading, service, and Visiting Teaching can go here
Family--scripture study, prayer, FHE, and we are trying to play games more often
Family History--I'm researching and taking names to the temple
Finance--I'm reading through an online finance course at personalfinance.byu.edu
Fitness (physical)--I'm walking 6 days a week and doing zumba 2-3 days a week
Flowers (and Food)--maybe yard work and the garden can go under these words
Food--I'm trying to eat better (avoiding processed foods, eating more veggies, growing sprouts, etc)
--I'm reorganizing my recipe binders
Foreign language--I'm still practicing my Spanish
Photos--I'm 9 years behind on Hannah's scrapbook
--I'm going to print out ancestor's photos and hang them
Does my house decluttering fall under Feng Shui?
The 2 that I can't stick with an "F" are my organ practice and my keeping up with current events.
I've been studying up on nutrition and am working on a food master plan.
I've been to zumba 3 times now. It's fun.
I put photos in Hannah's book from June-December 2005. Now I just have to journal them.
I planted my nasturtiums and 2 of the 6 plants are starting to flower.
I started picking songs for the next quarter (so I can practice them on the organ)
And various other things I've been working on (like the recipes and the Spanish, my scripture reading...)
So, the first week of summer vacation was mostly productive.
Fabric--I want to make a quilt top this summer (maybe this one: http://www.judymartin.com/free-bom-2.cfm)
Faith--perhaps the scripture reading, service, and Visiting Teaching can go here
Family--scripture study, prayer, FHE, and we are trying to play games more often
Family History--I'm researching and taking names to the temple
Finance--I'm reading through an online finance course at personalfinance.byu.edu
Fitness (physical)--I'm walking 6 days a week and doing zumba 2-3 days a week
Flowers (and Food)--maybe yard work and the garden can go under these words
Food--I'm trying to eat better (avoiding processed foods, eating more veggies, growing sprouts, etc)
--I'm reorganizing my recipe binders
Foreign language--I'm still practicing my Spanish
Photos--I'm 9 years behind on Hannah's scrapbook
--I'm going to print out ancestor's photos and hang them
Does my house decluttering fall under Feng Shui?
The 2 that I can't stick with an "F" are my organ practice and my keeping up with current events.
I've been studying up on nutrition and am working on a food master plan.
I've been to zumba 3 times now. It's fun.
I put photos in Hannah's book from June-December 2005. Now I just have to journal them.
I planted my nasturtiums and 2 of the 6 plants are starting to flower.
I started picking songs for the next quarter (so I can practice them on the organ)
And various other things I've been working on (like the recipes and the Spanish, my scripture reading...)
So, the first week of summer vacation was mostly productive.
Friday, May 30, 2014
physical health
The numbers are in and some of them are good (like glucose and creatinine) and some of them aren't:
May 15, 2014
weight 186
BMI 31 obese (30 and above is obese--I need to be at 174 to be merely over-weight)
body fat 40%
blood pressure 128/78 prehypertension category
triglycerides 429 high
cholesterol 272 high
HDL 44 low (but you want this one to be high)
LDL can't be measured accurately because my triglycerides are so high
TSH 3.9 high (indicator of hypothyroidism)
I've been reading health and nutrition books I got from the library. I really, really like the book Nutrition: An Applied Approach by Janice Thompson and Melinda Manore. I liked it so much that I ordered a copy for myself. I had been toying with the idea of looking into a nutrition class and this book is perfect.
I've also been reading The Calorie Myth: How to Eat More, Exercise Less, Lose Weight, and Live Better by Jonathan Bailor. The idea is to eat nutrient-dense foods and exercise intensely.
The problem I have with the food part is that he doesn't think grains, beans, and dairy products are nutrient-dense enough to be recommended as part of his diet (he leans towards the paleo diet). I love having the Word of Wisdom as a guideline. Grains are in. Meat is to be eaten sparingly which means my protein mostly comes from beans, eggs, and dairy.
The exercise part is a new idea for me--4 exercises that you do till you can't do any more, but they only take about 10-20 minutes. And you only do them once a week. You exhaust your muscles quickly so they are using something called the 2b fibers and then you allow your body to recuperate. I've often wondered if God really made us so that we needed to spend as much time exercising as some people seem to think.
I also looked at The Spectrum by Dr. Dean Ornish and The 30-day Heart Tune Up by Steven Masley as well as some things online.
So, this is what I'm coming up with:
--Eat lots of nutrient-dense foods, including grains, beans, and dairy.
--Avoid white flour and sugars (and with my numbers, I'm motivated to do this). Avoid transfats with limited saturated fats.
--And I might try the intense exercise, but my joints (right elbow particularly) may not like 2 of them. At any rate, it's almost summer and we usually walk 5-6 days a week in the summer, plus Hannah wants me to do zumba with her. I also plan on doing some yoga as my flexibility is in great need of improvement.
--I guess I should throw "drink plenty of water" in here, though I've never had a problem with that item. And sleep--I love sleep and never have to struggle with getting enough.
I'm not counting calories. I've always thought that our bodies' needs should be simpler than some people make them out to be (just like exercise). I really like how The Calorie Myth goes into the hormonal aspect of food...it really isn't just calorie in-calorie out. If you eat right, your body knows it and balances your energy input with your energy output and you will weigh what you "should."
Helping me on eating right is the realization of how important our bodies are. We need to feed them right and sometimes that takes a little bit of money. So I'm ready to spend a little more on fresh fruits and vegetables than I used to. We have money as a resource. If we can afford having hobbies, we can afford to eat better.
May 15, 2014
weight 186
BMI 31 obese (30 and above is obese--I need to be at 174 to be merely over-weight)
body fat 40%
blood pressure 128/78 prehypertension category
triglycerides 429 high
cholesterol 272 high
HDL 44 low (but you want this one to be high)
LDL can't be measured accurately because my triglycerides are so high
TSH 3.9 high (indicator of hypothyroidism)
I've been reading health and nutrition books I got from the library. I really, really like the book Nutrition: An Applied Approach by Janice Thompson and Melinda Manore. I liked it so much that I ordered a copy for myself. I had been toying with the idea of looking into a nutrition class and this book is perfect.
I've also been reading The Calorie Myth: How to Eat More, Exercise Less, Lose Weight, and Live Better by Jonathan Bailor. The idea is to eat nutrient-dense foods and exercise intensely.
The problem I have with the food part is that he doesn't think grains, beans, and dairy products are nutrient-dense enough to be recommended as part of his diet (he leans towards the paleo diet). I love having the Word of Wisdom as a guideline. Grains are in. Meat is to be eaten sparingly which means my protein mostly comes from beans, eggs, and dairy.
The exercise part is a new idea for me--4 exercises that you do till you can't do any more, but they only take about 10-20 minutes. And you only do them once a week. You exhaust your muscles quickly so they are using something called the 2b fibers and then you allow your body to recuperate. I've often wondered if God really made us so that we needed to spend as much time exercising as some people seem to think.
I also looked at The Spectrum by Dr. Dean Ornish and The 30-day Heart Tune Up by Steven Masley as well as some things online.
So, this is what I'm coming up with:
--Eat lots of nutrient-dense foods, including grains, beans, and dairy.
--Avoid white flour and sugars (and with my numbers, I'm motivated to do this). Avoid transfats with limited saturated fats.
--And I might try the intense exercise, but my joints (right elbow particularly) may not like 2 of them. At any rate, it's almost summer and we usually walk 5-6 days a week in the summer, plus Hannah wants me to do zumba with her. I also plan on doing some yoga as my flexibility is in great need of improvement.
--I guess I should throw "drink plenty of water" in here, though I've never had a problem with that item. And sleep--I love sleep and never have to struggle with getting enough.
I'm not counting calories. I've always thought that our bodies' needs should be simpler than some people make them out to be (just like exercise). I really like how The Calorie Myth goes into the hormonal aspect of food...it really isn't just calorie in-calorie out. If you eat right, your body knows it and balances your energy input with your energy output and you will weigh what you "should."
Helping me on eating right is the realization of how important our bodies are. We need to feed them right and sometimes that takes a little bit of money. So I'm ready to spend a little more on fresh fruits and vegetables than I used to. We have money as a resource. If we can afford having hobbies, we can afford to eat better.
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